KIPS Oct. Professional Development
Connections: Unpacking the Science Standards in STEMscopes
Objectives
- Continue to build standards knowledge while teaching science
- Learn how to unpack" the science standards in order to gain clarity around the standards
- Locate, familiarize and connect the science standards with the performance expectations in STEMscopes
- Build a network of collaborative KIPS teachers
- Use your iPad as a tool
LOOKING BACK AT SEPTEMBER
Review of STEMscopes: The 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL
Stage1: Engage - Must Do
- Lessons that assess background knowledge & generate excitement
Stage 2: Explore - Must Do
- Opportunities for students to explore & begin to build their own knowledge
Stage 3: Explain- Must Do as it relates to Explore
- Lessons that solidify understanding of the concepts & encourage students to communicate what they have learned
Stage 4: Extend/Elaborate- Differentiate and choose based on the needs of the students
- Opportunities for students to make advanced connections or applications & extend their learning
Stage 5: Evaluate
- Ongoing process of determining what has been learned throughout
Shared Vocabulary: Shout Out
- Focus Standards
- Supporting Standards
- Standards Extension Manual
Standards should either play a starring role or a supporting role in each grade level or course. Here's how to distinguish the two:
- Focus Standards are "a carefully selected subset of the total list of the grade-specific and course-specific standards within each content area that students must know and be able to do by the end of each school year in order to be prepared for the standards at the next grade level or course. Focus standards represent the assured student competencies that each teacher needs to help every student learn, and demonstrate proficiency in, by the end of the current grade or course" (Ainsworth, 2013, p. xv).
- Supporting Standards are "those standards that support, connect to, or enhance the Priority Standards. They are taught within the context of the Focus Standards, but do not receive the same degree of instruction and assessment emphasis as do the Focus Standards. The supporting standards often become the instructional scaffolds to help students understand and attain the more rigorous and comprehensive Priority Standards" (Ainsworth, 2013, p. xv).
Prioritizing certain standards over others does not mean eliminating those standards that do not make it into the starring roles. All standards must be taught and assessed, and re-taught and reassessed, to gain evidence of student competency of those learning outcomes. Prioritizing the standards has nothing whatsoever to do with "lowering the bar," and everything to do with focus. It is about "less" being more. The difference is in the degree of focus given to certain standards over others.
Standards Extension Manual
SAMPLE PAGE FROM STANDARDS EXTENSION MANUAL
Unpacking the Standards
Practice Unpacking Standards
Ask, "what is the standard?"
FOCUS STANDARD:
Student develops an
understanding of what plants and
animals (including humans) need
to survive and the relationship
between their needs and where
they live.
"What are the nouns or the concepts being taught?
Student develops an
understanding of what plants and
animals (including humans) need
to survive and the relationship
between their needs and where
they live.
What are the verbs or the skills?
Student develops an
understanding of what plants and
animals (including humans) need
to survive and the relationship
between their needs and where
they live.
CONNECTIONS TO UNPACKING
- Open STEMscopes
- Go to the HOME tab
- Look on the right hand side
- See Standards Alignments
- See Standards Unwrapped
Unpacking the Standards
Standards Alignment in STEMscopes
Unwrapped = Unpacked
PRACTICE UNPACKING
Next Steps
Building Knowledge: Connecting to STEMscopes
To make sure I am comfortable with the performance expectation, the core idea, and how I can move students to discover and understand this earth science idea, I can unwrap the standard, see where within the scope the different standards are reinforced, and read up on what plants and animals need to survive to ensure I have the basic information I need to facilitate the activities. I also might have a setup video to help me plan the scope.
REMINDERS
Recommended Sequence for the SCOPES
Humans and The Needs of Organisms
-
• Animal Needs
-
• Plant Needs
-
• Reducing Human Impact
Dealing with Weather
-
• Weather Conditions
-
• Measurement of Weather
-
• Weather Hazards
Living Things and Their Habitats
-
• Habitats
-
• Organisms’ Impact on Environments
-
• Uses of Natural Resources
Using Force to Change Motion
-
• Pushes and Pull
-
• Speed and Direction
Using Sunlight
- • Energy from the Sun
* Recommended to follow in order
News You Can Use
- Managing Materials
- It can be challenging to locate and organize materials. Within each scope, there is a list of required materials. Teachers can access grade level materials lists to assist with planning and organization. Click here to view a video showing where on the site to find their list.
- New STEMscopes Features
- Storyline is a new assessment feature within the STEMscopes program. This unit encompasses multiple scopes and unifies an essential questions while the scopes address overarching questions. It is not mandatory and can be confusing when starting the program.
NEXT STEPS
- Be prepared to share evidence of a science standard from STEMscopes during our next videoconference What do your students now know and are able to do because of this activity or assessment?
- Our next PD videoconference will take place on THURSDAY NOVEMBER 30th. You will receive an invitation prior to that date along with the November training SMORE.
- Use Toby and the Education Department as your "go to EDU's" for any questions or support along the way. Contact info: toby.grosswald@nlcinc.com or 215-680-0123.
- If you still need STEMscopes support to get on the site, please contact Michael directly at 281-833-4515.